


Colossus

by Adoxerella



Category: Angel: the Series, Ao no Exorcist | Blue Exorcist
Genre: Canon - Anime, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-02-08
Updated: 2012-03-09
Packaged: 2017-10-30 19:18:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,650
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/335177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adoxerella/pseuds/Adoxerella
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They had been running for so long, and they both longed for a place to rest, even if only for a short while.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

### Prologue: The Mystery

They had been running for a year before they found the hotel. 

At first glance, the building seemed like it shouldn't be standing. The surrounding buildings had obviously been patched. The differences in the mortar and bricks stood out even after several years of weathering. The hotel itself looked to have obvious damage, the back wall cracked and pitted. However there seemed to have been no effort made to fix the damage. The lack of care by the owners was what drew the fugitive brothers to the building in the first place.

Both of them had been reluctant to enter it at first. Despite the obvious air of abandonment there was a hint of magic in the air they could both taste on the back of their tongues. As they got closer, they could see the faint echoes of wards painted around the doorways, but a lack of upkeep had left them chipped and fragmented. Too weathered to do their jobs, they presented little problem when the two brothers slipped through the back door.

Once inside, there was little sign of the trauma that marked the exterior of the building. There were a few cracks in the plaster, but with the age of the building and the area they were in, those could have as easily been caused by an earthquake as what ever had marred the outside of the building. It was as if whoever owned the building had left the exterior in shambles on purpose to deter anyone from looking inside.

That inside was even more confusing. As the two brothers cautiously explored they found a strange mishmash of long abandoned rooms and hallways intermingled with areas that had obviously seen some efforts at restoration. However even the restored rooms had what seemed to be several years worth of dust clogging them. Some of the restored rooms showed signs of hasty packing, with bits and bobs left behind. Others were littered with forgotten boxes, as if the owners never made it back to finish gathering all of their belongings and hauling them to their new place. 

The air of magic wasn't confined to the wards by the doors. There were signs of it all over the building. A large magical circle was etched into the floor of the lobby, and both brothers instinctively stayed far away from it. The air in one of the offices was thick with the stench of long expired magical ingredients, some of them still mouldering away in their containers. Broken down spells whispered across their skin when they entered some of the restored rooms, and one room had such a pall of darkness over it that the brothers avoided the floor it was on all together.

Despite all the mysteries and dangers, something about the place called out to the brothers. When they settled together on a dusty couch tucked into a nook of the lobby near a staircase, they didn't take long to decide to stay. Something about the place screamed out sanctuary, even though it seemed as if someone had taken pains to make it seem otherwise. It was that sense of home that appealed to the twins. They had been running for so long, and both longed for a place to rest, if only for a short while.

So it was that the Okumura twins came to reside in the Hyperion Hotel.


	2. Chapter 1: The Inevitable

### Chapter 1: The Inevitable

It was just over two months after Yukio's awakening that things began to go down hill. Yukio had slowly begun to notice his colleagues shying away from him. They would cluster together during staff meetings, attempting to look like they were in important conversations, but Yukio could see the nervous glances out of the corners of their eyes. 

Tails could be hidden under uniforms, but other changes were impossible to hide. Yukio knew his eyes had shifted towards Rin's fiery blue, obvious even through the lenses of his glasses. The pointed ears stuck out, despite the fact he had been growing his hair out slightly to try and mask the tips. He was glad he had perfected his stoic disposition, since a stern expression kept him from smiling too widely and exposing his elongated canines. Yukio felt the stares these physical changes elicited every day in the halls of the Order, and he knew he would never again be able to relate to his friends in colleagues in the same way.

He wondered if this was how his brother had felt growing up, ostracized as the 'demon' child by his peers and teachers. If it was, it was easy to understand why Rin had always been so surly. Having people who had once been his friends look at him with suspicion made him ache with sadness and burn with anger in turns. If these emotions were hard to master as an adult--and after all he'd been through Yukio refused to view himself as anything but an adult--they had to be nearly impossible to conquer for a child. Yukio gained a new found respect for his brother and how remarkably adjusted he was despite his fiery temper and churlish attitude. 

He gained a new respect for his Father and the other brothers at the Monastery for helping to keep Rin that way, too.

After a few weeks of sidelong glances and conversations abruptly abandoned when he entered a room, Yukio finally had to acknowledge that something was being planned by the others. It was easy for him to guess what those plans would entail, but he needed a timetable. So he goaded Shura into another training 'rematch' and while they were both plugging away at the targets, he took his chance to question her.

"How long until they come for us?"

"Hmm?" Shura gave him an odd look before demolishing a volley of targets.

"I'm not an idiot, Shura. Nor am I the naive little boy you used to know," as he said this, Yukio continued to fire away at his targets. He didn't bother to look at the other exorcist. "I know the Order wants to come after Rin and myself. I also know that the resistance to that plan is rapidly waning. What I want to know is how long we have until the plan comes to fruition."

Shura pounded away at her targets without speaking. Yukio was almost ready to resign himself to the fact that she wouldn't answer when she finally spoke up.

"One month, tops," she replied, so quietly that if it weren't for his newly enhanced hearing, he wouldn't have heard her. 

"I see."

Both of them continued demolishing targets for a few minutes. Finally Yukio summoned up the courage to ask the next question.

"How many of the Exwires are involved?"

Yukio could almost feel her reluctance to answer that question, but Shura was never one to shy away from anything.

"All of them."

"Ah. I was afraid of that."

Yukio knew his brother would be crushed by this. Rin had tried so hard to make connections with his classmates. He had worked to show him that they could trust him, that he would never betray them, but after the incident with the Gate they had again become skittish around him. The sad thing was it was most likely the fact that Rin had destroyed the Gehenna Gate that made them shy away. The idea of someone, especially someone as brash and untrained as Rin, holding that kind of power made them afraid. By saving his friends, Rin had created a chasm between them and himself that he could not cross.

"I guess that settles it," he muttered aloud.

"What are you planning?" Shura's voice broke into his musing..

"I'd rather not say,"Yukio answered. "You've been loyal to Rin and I, as well as our Father before us. I don't want you to suffer for your loyalty. If you know nothing, then you can't be grouped as an accomplice." 

"I'm not scared of anything they can do to me," Shura replied, her tone taking on a defiant edge.

"I know," Yukio said, glancing towards her while still demolishing his targets. "That's why Father asked you to help Rin and I. He knew the trust he placed in you would be rewarded."

Shura was now watching him, her reflexes and the barest sliver of attention she was paying them were the only thing keeping her from missing the targets. Her face was a mask of shock as Yukio continued to plug away at his own targets while his attention was focused on her. He expelled and switched cartridges without breaking the rhythm of his shots, but he wasn't really paying them much attention at all. He was focused on the woman in front of him.

"Rin and I became a part of the Order to become stronger, to protect those that we care about. However, it's clear now that our presence is actually posing a danger. By plotting against us, the Order is neglecting its other duties. Neither of us wants to risk someone getting hurt because of us."

Shura swung her attention towards Yukio, her anger making her neglect her targets.

"It's not for you to decide!" she shouted.

One by one the targets hurtling towards her burst into blue flames. Yukio's eyes widened as he turned towards the fence and saw Rin standing there, his fingers curled around the fence links so tightly that his knuckles were white.

"You're right, Shura," Rin said, still taking out the targets. "We can't decide your actions, but we can decide our own."

Shura's sword arm fell limply to her side, her face a portrait of shock at Rin's control. Her eyes widened further when she saw Yukio lower his gun and continue to take out targets with his own flames.

"We can't dictate others' actions, but we can take our own actions to keep others safe," Yukio said, his voice resolute.

"We will not do anything else to endanger anyone ever again," Rin continued. "If our presence is endangering others, then it's time for that presence to end."

Yukio calmly holstered his guns and attached the spare cartridges to his belt. The whole time he and Rin kept taking out the targets, the flames painting an eerie blue cast to the whole room. Shura just kept staring, for once stuck speechless. When he was finished gathering his things, he turned to Shura and gave a deep bow.

"Thank you Shura Kirigakure, for everything you have done for us. We will always be grateful to you."

On the other side of the fence, Rin also bowed. 

"Thank you Professor, for everything you have taught me. I am stronger person because of your lessons."

Both boys straightened, and Yukio began heading for the exit, pausing to hit the shut off on the machine. Rin joined him as he stepped outside the fence, and they left side by side. Behind them, Shura was left staring, the ashes of the targets settling around her.

"How much did you hear?" Yukio asked his brother, as they crossed the campus heading towards their dorm.

"Enough," Rin answered, his voice somber. "But it wasn't anything I didn't already know was coming. I may be an idiot, Yukio, but I'm not stupid. I could see the others were unnerved by me."

"If it means anything, I'm sorry."

"Thanks, but I get where they're coming from, you know. If I was in their place, I'd probably be scared of me, too."

Yukio frowned at his brother.

"That doesn't make hearing that they are planning on moving against you any easier."

"No, but the only other alternative I have is to get pissed off, and I know that won't make it any easier," Rin gave him a sidelong glance. "What about you? I've only know the guys for a few months, but you've been training with the Order for years. It can't be as easy as you're acting like it is."

"Of course it isn't," Yukio answered, the barest hint of a growl in his voice. He took a deep breath. Rin wasn't the one he was angry at, and in his own hopelessly blunt way, his brother was trying to help. "But you're right, getting angry or upset won't make this any easier."

The brothers arrived at their dorm and quickly made their way up to their room. Tails unwound from torsos as each quickly changed into street clothes. Each brother grabbed a duffel and began methodically packing clothes and other important items into the bag. Books, spare ammo and a few keepsakes were tucked into the bags. Once they were finished, they began to methodically empty their belonging into boxes. Soon the room was empty, save the full boxes that were stacked along one wall, and the furniture that had been there in the first place. 

As the brothers were checking the room for anything they had missed, Kuro walked in and blinked in surprise at the empty room.

"Rin, Yukio, what's going on? Why are you packing your things?"

"We need to leave, Kuro. This place isn't safe for us anymore," Rin answered, kneeling down and placing a hand on his familiar.

"Why? I thought this was your home?"

"It was," Rin answered, scratching the animal behind it's ears. A soft purr rumbled as a backdrop to his words. "Now, everyone is scared of us. They are afraid because we're the sons of Satan."

"They already knew that," Kuro said, the mental tone petulant despite the audible purr.

"Yes," Yukio said, kneeling down to offer his own comfort to the familiar. "However, now that they have seen the power we have, they are afraid of what we will do with it."

"You already showed them what you will do with it when you closed the Gehenna Gate," Kuro argued. "You want to fight evil. You want to help people like Shiro did."

"Yeah, we do," Rin agreed. "But people aren't as logical as cats. They are always going to be a little bit afraid of us, and that fear might make them do stupid things. Things that will get them hurt. That's why Yukio and I have to leave."

"Plus, before long, the demons will start trying to get to us again. That will put the humans here in even more danger. It's better if we leave before that starts to happen."

Kuro looked between the two brothers. A knowing look came over the familiar's face.

"I can't come with you, can I?"

"No," Rin answered sadly, cuddling the cat even more. "Yukio and I aren't sure where we will end up, and it is sure to be hard. It wouldn't be safe for you to come along."

"But if you want," Yukio added. "We can take you with us for the first part of the journey. We're going back to the Southern Cross Monastery were we grew up. Where Father raised us. If you want, you can come with us, and stay there. The brothers will take good care of you, I'm sure."

"And you can help them protect the people of the neighborhood," Rin added.

For a moment, Kuro looked like he was going to argue. Then he let out a sad meow and nuzzled up against both brothers.

"I want to come with you, but I know you're right. So I'll go to the place were Shiro lived. I'll help his friends keep people safe. But I'll miss you both."

"We'll miss you to, Kuro," Rin said, a suspicious shimmer in his eye.

Both boys took a few more minutes to cuddle with the feline before Rin abruptly stood, Yukio following suit a bit more slowly. Both boys grabbed their bags, then headed downstairs. Rin grabbed Kuro's carrier, and Yukio turned the lights off as they exited the room, leaving the door unlocked behind them.

Down in the kitchen Ukobach was busy making their supper. Yukio eyed his brother warily before they both entered the kitchen.

"Ukobach," Rin said. "Don't go to too much trouble with supper. Yukio and I don't have time for more than a snack."

The hearth demon made a questioning sound, although there was a hint of disappointment and anger in the noise as well. 

"I understand, and we both appreciate the work you put into it, Ukobach. But Yukio and I promised we'd visit the monastery where we grew up and have dinner with the Brother's there."

The demon made another grumbling noise.

"Well what are you making?"

Rin listened to the answer.

"I'll tell you what, that shouldn't be too hard to turn into boxed dinners. I'll help, and then Yukio and I will take it with us. That way some new people will get to enjoy your cooking."

Ukobach made an affirmative noise, and soon the two began creating the meals to take with them. Yukio was a little perturbed about the delay, but he knew it would solve more problems than it caused in the long run. So he sat with Kuro on his lap, while he watched his brother and the demon cook up a storm. If Rin seemed to relish the cooking with a little more gusto than normal, Yukio knew the reason, he just pretended not to notice.

Soon, the boxes were packed and tied into manageable bundles for the brothers to carry. Bags slung over their shoulders, the brothers turned towards the hearth demon who was finishing it's cleanup.

"Thanks again for the meals Ukobach," Rin said. "I'm sure the guys will appreciate it a lot. We'll make sure your containers get back to you as soon as possible."

Yukio pulled out a small package and held it out to the demon.

"Ukobach, could you please take this to Mephisto? You don't have to bother him tonight. Tomorrow morning is fine."

The demon made an affirmative noise, nodding as it took the package.

"Thanks, Ukobach," Rin said, as he turned around. "For everything," he added in a much quieter tone.

As he turned to follow his brother, Yukio saw the demon give the both of them a look that was both curious and measuring. Then the two brothers were exiting the dorms and heading for the nearby train station. They were both quiet as they moved away from the campus leaving the True Cross Academy and everyone they had met there behind.


	3. Chapter 2: A Place Called Home

### Chapter 2: A Place Called Home

It took two hours to make their way to the Southern Cross Monastery from the Academy. After asking what Yukio had given Ukobach, Rin had stayed mostly silent. lost in his own thoughts.

Once he told Rin that he was turning in his and Rin's keys to the demon, the finality of that action had settled in on Yukio, and he had remained silent as well.

If the Brothers had any inkling of the melancholy that had a hold of the Okumura twins, they gave no sign of it in their joyful greeting. Despite the fact the visit was unannounced, the whole of the Order was excited to have the twins back for a visit. The excitement was even greater when the Brothers realized the twins had brought food. 

Brother Maruta was the first to spy Kuro's carrier, and he was overjoyed that the twins had finally brought Shiro's familiar to meet them. He soon had the cat sidhe purring with delight as he showered the familiar with attention. Rin shot his brother a small relieved grin, and Yukio nodded back, both relieved that the creature would be well cared for.

Despite their inner turmoil, Yukio and his brother managed to remain cheerful through most of dinner. They listened attentively to the stories the Brothers told, and basked in the fact that none of them had altered their actions towards the twins at all. They all ribbed Rin about his grades, and inquired about how Yukio's studies were going. During the clean up, Brother Izumi even tweaked Rin's tail through his shirt, eliciting a yelp and a growl from the boy. Yukio felt his own tail twitch from it's position around his torso, but he couldn't help laughing along with the rest of the Brother's at Rin's reaction. 

It wasn't until they had finished the dishes and the rest of the evening chores that Brother Kyodo finally breached to topic of the twins' arrival.

"Not that we aren't glad to see you, especially if you bring good food, but why the visit. You two both have classes at the Academy and the Cram School."

"Rin wanted to visit," Yukio said, smirking slightly at his brother's glare. "He kept going on and on about how much he missed you."

"And why wouldn't I miss them, idiot. They're my family. Besides you were yammering on and on about visiting just as much."

From where he was seated with Kuro lounging on his lap, Brother Maruta shot the others a significant look. The others returned it with interest, and Yukio shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Across from him, Rin swallowed thickly. Brother Nagatomo excused himself, and strode from the room, and suddenly Maruta was all smiles again.

"Well I don't care what the reason is, I'm glad you came. It has been lonely here without the two of you, just like I thought it would be."

"What about us?" Izumi asked, indignant. 

"I see you all the time. The boys hardly ever visit," the man replied.

Brother Kyodo just rolled his eyes and winked at the twins. Then his face grew serious.

"It's actually a good thing the two of you came. We didn't want to bring it up the last time you came, because of the situation, but there are some things of Shiro's you should probably go through." 

"Some of the boxes had your names on them, and we didn't want to pry and open them," Maruta said, his argument forgotten. 

Izumi wasn't quite so quick to leave the bickering behind. 

"You mean we didn't know what kind of seals Shiro had placed on the boxes, and we didn't want to risk setting them off."

"Whatever the reason," Nagatomo said, returning to the room. "You two should go through them before you leave. There might be something important in them. We left them in you guys' room."

After that, the conversation made a lighter turn again, and continued for a couple more hours until one by one the brothers excused themselves, leaving the twins behind. If the good nights seemed more final than they should, none of them made any mention of it. Soon, Yukio and his brother were left alone, each steeling themselves for the task of going through their Father's things.

There was a hint of grim determination on Rin's face as they headed back towards their room, and the items held within. Not that Yukio blamed his brother for those emotions. Yukio wasn't looking forward to this task either. The emotions weren't aided by the fact that Yukio sensed that the Brothers had understood what the twins were leaving unsaid, and they felt that whatever Shiro had left them would be needed for any journey the two of them had to make.

Yukio entered the room, and saw his and Rin's bags sitting neatly on the desk, side by side. Rin took the Kurikara off and set it down by his bag. They both turned towards the boxes on Rin's bed. Neither was large, and each one had one of their names written on it with their father's familiar neat script. Slowly each reached out towards the one bearing their name.

Yukio stared at the box for a moment, too many emotions for him to name surging through him one after the other. He was set to open the box when he noticed his brother was struggling with his own. He looked up and noticed the seals inscribed on the tape holding the box shut and gave a wry smile.

"Rin," he said, halting his brother's struggling. "Those seals mean you aren't going to be able to force it open."

"Huh," he said, looking confused as he stared at the glyphs on the tape. "Then how am I supposed to get inside it?"

"Your flames, brother. Use your flames."

Rin blinked at him for a few moments. Then he looked at the glyphs again, then back at Yukio.

"But the old man didn't want me to...," he trailed off. "Stupid old fart," Rin muttered as he realized what the inclusion of the seals meant.

Yukio let out a sigh as he saw the evidence of their father's familiarity with Rin's impulsive nature disintegrate in a wash of blue flames. He wasn't surprised that the lid of the box was slightly singed but in truth he was kind of impressed that Rin hadn't incinerated the whole package in his annoyance. Rin's control was obviously improving by quite a bit.

Yukio turned towards his own box intent to open it when he sucked in a shocked breath. The same glyphs that had lined the tape sealing Rin's box lined his own as well. Yukio stared at them in shock, pondering the fact that just as Shiro had always known about Rin, he had also somehow know that Yukio would eventually come into his own demonic awakening. A brief jolt of anger surged through him as he wondered why his father hadn't told him what to expect, but it faded just as quickly as it came. If he was ever going to find an answer to that question, it would be in the box in front of him.

He traced the lines of Shiro's handwriting gently before summoning the flames and breaking the seal on the box. Once the tape was gone, he gently opened the box. Sitting on top of the contents was an envelope with his name on it. Yukio glanced up to see Rin collapsed on the ground, tail waving moodily behind him. A tear was tracking down his cheek, and Yukio distinctly heard him mutter out a pained "Daddy."

"Rin," Yukio said, his own letter forgotten due to the urge to comfort his brother.

Rin looked up, more tears joining the first.

"He knew, Yukio. Dad knew," Rin said. rubbing a sleeve across his eyes, then looked up at his brother. "Just read your letter, Yukio. You have to read yours."

With that, Rin turned his attention back to the letter, more tears trailing down his cheeks, as he raised a hand to trace down whatever words he was reading on the paper. 

Yukio turned towards his own box, and with shaking hands, pulled the letter out of the envelope, sitting down on the corner of the bed to read.

_My dear son, Yukio-_

_I am so sorry. If you are reading this, then I am no longer there to tell you these things. I know it will be hard to hear this, so please turn to your brother to comfort you. From now on, you two will have to depend on each other more than anything. I trust you both to keep each other safe._

_Yukio. Know this before everything else. You are my son, and I love you. Nothing as weak as mere biology could stop that. I consider you and your brother gifts given to me by God, no matter who your parents really are. You and your brother are the dearest things to me, and I am so sorry I not there to protect you._

_You have known since I began your training that you and your brother were born of a demon father and a human mother. I always let you think it was a spirit wound that let you see demons at such a young age. However, I can now say with certainty that this was not the case. Despite what we thought when you were a child, your body did not reject your demonic heritage. It was just shrouded so deeply in your humanity that it wasn't as apparent as your brother's was, swirling around him like blue flames when you were held in your mother's arms. However those powers have always been there, lying in wait for you to call upon them._

_If you haven't begun to feel the awakening, then I know this must be a shock. If you have begun to feel the awakening, please Yukio, do not resist it. Do not be afraid. These powers have always been a part of you, and despite what they have drummed into your head at the Academy, they are not a bad thing. If you resist the awakening, it will only cause you hardship, and your brother with you. However if you embrace it, you and your brother will be able to do great things._

_I regret the weighty burden I am about to put upon your shoulders, but I have seen your strength. I know you can bear it._

_Yukio, you and Rin are so much more than simply the sons of Satan and Yuri Egin. You are the Gatekeepers. Together you can cleave shut any connection between Gehenna and Assaih, whether that connection is a gate opened by Satan, or simply the connection allowing a demon to possess someone or something._

_This is not a power of destruction, son. It is a power of healing. You know that demons are able to possess humans because of the pain in their hearts. When you and Rin break that connection to Gehenna, you will allow that heart to heal. You will help the rend in these people's souls to mend._

_Yukio, despite his flaws and his rough nature, I have always known your brother had a gentle heart. I also know your heart is equally open to others. Those open hearts, that desire to help people, was what I was trying to nurture as you grew up. I knew your would both need those hearts to stay open if you were to truly come into your power and be able to help the world as you were meant to. No matter how difficult things get, I beg you to cling to that openness for all you are worth, because that is the true secret to your powers._

_There were so many things I wanted to teach you, Yukio. However if you are reading this, then I have been unable to teach you them all. I have left instructions with the Brothers to deliver these packages to you and Rin when the time is right. Inside this box you will find the small amount of information I could piece together about the Gatekeepers, as well as a few of my favorite weapons. There are also supplies and spells to help you along the journey you now have to make. There are also some funds that you should be able to use without being traced by the Order. Use all of these things wisely._

_Finally, please help your brother, Yukio. He doesn't have the benefit of your training, and we both know he is not the best at studies. Please be patient and teach him the things he needs to know about Exorcists, but please remember to respect him as well. Your brother isn't unintelligent, Yukio, he just needs someone who understands him to break through the walls around his mind. Once you figure out how to do this-- for I'll be honest Yukio, I haven't figured it out after all of these years-- but once you figure it out, the two of you will be able to learn about your powers together. Then the Okumura brothers will truly shine._

_I love you so much my son. No matter what happens, hold that knowledge close to your heart. Remember that I shall always love you and watch over you from wherever I may be. Keep safe, and may your life be filled with joy._

_Your loving Father,  
Shiro Fujimoto_

Yukio sat there, tears streaking his face as he read the words his father had written over and over again. He had known, had known Yukio's whole life about the demon blood in his veins, and he had been proud of it. Shiro saw that power as a blessing, something that would allow Yukio do do great things, to help people, as he had always wanted to do. Shiro had known, but he had also trusted that Yukio would be able to use that power for good. In fact his words made it clear that belief in the goodness of his son had never faltered.

"Daddy," Yukio said softly, echoing his brother.

He heard Rin sniff, and looked up to see his brother on the floor, knees pulled up to his chest. He had his arms crossed across his knees, one hand weakly clutching his letter, while his head was buried in the crossed arms. His tail curled around his feet flicking back and forth morosely. 

"Rin," he said, softly. He stood and walked over to crouch in front of his brother.

Rin looked up, his face a blotchy mess. Tears still leaked down his cheeks, but behind the pain there was such joy in his eyes.

"Yukio. He was proud of me. He was so proud of me," Rin whispered. "He said it wasn't my fault. I..I always thought it was, but he said it wasn't my fault. He was proud of me. Daddy was proud of me."

Yukio fell the rest of the way to his knees and pulled his brother into a tight embrace. He felt his own tears well up again as he held his brother tight.

"Of course he was proud of you, you dope. You were his son. You everything to him."

"We were both everything to him."

The two brothers held on to each other for a long time, grieving in a way they hadn't had a chance to during the time after their father's death. There were happy tears as well, as they each repeated the praise Shiro had left for them to the other. 

As the brothers of the Southern Cross Monastery rose for morning prayer, they peaked into the room to find the twins asleep, leaning against each other in a way they hadn't since they were kids. If the brothers could see the tear tracks drying on the their faces, no one said a word.


	4. Chapter 3: Embrace

### Chapter 3: Embrace

Yukio awoke slowly.

As he came to awareness, his surrounding slowly began to filter into his brain. He heard the familiar murmur of morning prayers in the background, nearly covered by the much closer rumble of his brother's snores. His brow furrowed slightly, because he knew something about the situation was wrong, but he couldn't quite make his brain work enough to figure it out.

Rin's snorted, murmuring in his sleep, and something shifted against Yukio, making him aware that something, or rather someone, leaning against him. Yukio pried his eyelids open, surprised at how difficult that task was, and saw a familiar mop of shaggy dark hair in his peripheral vision. Rin was leaning against him for some reason. He frowned as he became aware of dampness on his shoulder. Rin was also drooling. Now if Yukio could just figure out _why_ Rin was leaning against him. He concentrated, trying to wrangle his muzzy brain into some semblance of order. 

Then, with a jolt, it came back to him.

The realization that the Order would move against them, the decision to leave. The final visit to the Monastery and the Brothers. The letters left by their Father and the revelations in them. It all rushed back into his mind, leaving him dazed. 

The fact that it seemed to be much later than he thought it would be was apparent by the light streaming through the windows. He and Rin would have to move quickly if they were to get out of the city before Mephisto received the package Yukio had left with Ukobach.

"Rin," he said, reaching across to shake his brother, while rotating his shoulder to try and push the boy off.

Rin just made a disgruntled noise and tried to burrow deeper into the warmth his brother provided.

Yukio sighed and tried again.

"Rin. Wake up," he gave his brother a shove to try and get him upright, but gravity just brought his twin crashing back down to his shoulder again.

Yukio fumed at his brother's inability to wake up for a moment before he spied the twitching tail near their feet. His own tail bristled at what he was planning, but Yukio wasn't deterred.

"Sorry, brother, but you brought this on yourself," he muttered while reaching over and giving the appendage a quick yank. 

Rin awoke with a yelp, then made a wild swing with both of his arms. Yukio ducked, then looked up just in time to see Rin's glare settle on him.

"The hell Four Eyes! What you do that for?"

Tails were usually off limits during brotherly rough housing. Especially since Yukio was often prone to keeping his hidden safely beneath his uniform and cassock.

"It's your fault for being so hard to wake up, Rin. I've been shaking you for the last ten minutes," an exaggeration, but his brother didn't have to know.

Rin continued to glare.

"The tips of your ears turn pink when you're lying."

Yukio sighed, refusing to feel embarrassed. 

"The point is, I tried to wake you, and you refused to get up. We need to get going, soon. It's long past the time we should have left here. The longer we stay, the more likely we are to be caught before we even get out of town."

Rin still looked annoyed, but he had already began getting his things together. He kept his back turned as he shoved things from the box into his bag, but Yukio noticed him squaring his shoulders.

"We're visiting the Old Man before we leave," his tone brooked no argument. 

"Rin," Yukio began, because as much as he wanted to say his farewells to his father, he knew they didn't have time.

"No, Yukio," Rin said, turning towards his brother. "We're going to visit Dad before we leave. We owe that to him."

Yukio sighed, because Rin was right. After all they had learned the night before, they did owe it to say one final farewell before they left Japan for what was probably forever. 

"Then hurry up," he said, his tone much more gruff than it should be. "We don't have time to dawdle. His grave will be the first place they look."

Rin didn't reply, he just busied himself with transferring the contents of the box into his bag. Yukio followed suit, taking the time to shove some of the bills inside into his wallet.

Once they were packed, the boys shouldered their bags and headed for the back door. It was much easier to get out of the compound unnoticed then it should have been. Yukio didn't doubt that the Brothers knew they would have to make such a departure, and were trying to make it easier. The raised eyebrow Rin gave him let Yukio know his brother realized it as well.

The two were standing before Shiro's grave in what seemed like no time. Both brothers were silent as they made their own farewells. Yukio was just about to suggest they leave when Rin spoke.

"He said we were Gatekeepers, right."

"Yes," he said slowly, his brow furrowing. "Why?"

"We're Gatekeepers. We close gates," Rin continued slowly, as if he was puzzling things out as he said it. "They all say the scabbard on the Kurikara is the gate. Wouldn't that mean we have to close it?"

"Brilliant! I knew you weren't as stupid as you pretended to be, Little Brother," a new voice echoed across the silence of the cemetery with much more glee than was appropriate.

Yukio and Rin whirled around to see Mephisto hovering behind them, making none of his usual effort to hide his demonic nature. 

Rin reserved his glare for the demon, but Yukio was glancing about trying to see how many people the head of the True Cross Academy had brought with him.

"There's no one here, dear Brother," the demon said as he noticed Yukio's glances. "This is not the business of the Order, but rather something we should keep in the family."

Rin gave a low growl beside him, and Yukio looked closer at the demon before discovering the root of his twin's ire. Amaimon sat perched upon the brim of Mehpisto's hat, looking far more amused at the scene than any hamster had the right to be.

"We are not your brothers," Rin stated.

"You may not like it, but the same blood flows through both of our veins, Okumura. Our mothers may differ, but we both have the same Father."

"Our Father was Shiro Fujimoto. Anyone else was just a biological necessity," Yukio was not surprised to see his words made no dent in Mephisto's glee. "Now what do you want?"

"I'm just here to watch and see a wager come to fruition."

"What do you mean?" Rin asked.

"Shiro was far more aware of what your birth meant than he let on to me," the demon grew more serious as he continued. "When I sealed Rin's powers in the Kurikara, I thought he was actually accepting my assertion that if you ever unsheathed the blade, you would be mine. However not long after he reminded me of a truth of which few humans are aware. No one can barter a soul which is not theirs."

Yukio gave a small smirk.

"He tricked you into hiding Rin's flames."

"No," Mephisto answered, his normally jovial tone deadly serious. "I would have hidden Rin's flames no matter what. I had far more interesting, and actually binding wagers riding on the fact that the sons of Satan could pass as human."

"Wagers with who?" Rin asked, angrily.

"Ah, ah, ah," Mephisto said, wagging his finger at Rin. "The wagers of others are none of your business, Little Brother."

Rin just glared but kept silent.

"Now, are you going to embrace the powers held in the sword? Or are you going to keep trying to pass as human and deny your destiny? I can't wait to see what choice you make."

Rin didn't let up with his glare as he dropped his bag from his shoulder. He tugged his sword over his head, and pulled it out of his carrier.

"Rin," Yukio said, his worry evident in his tone.

"It's okay, Yukio," Rin answered. 

He brought the sword up in front of him in preparation to draw it.

"What do I do?" he asked.

Yukio lowered his own bag to the ground and moved closer to his brother. He eyed Mephisto warily as the demon held out a hand for the blade. The demon looked far too giddy for Yukio's comfort.

"First, Little Brothers," Mephisto said, unsheathing the blade. "You unlock the powers held in the sword."

Yukio felt the shivering rush that signaled his powers surfacing, and he and his brother were both limned in blue flames. 

Yukio kept his eyes glued to Mephisto who seemed even more excited as he held the bared Kurikara in his hands. He threw the scabbard to the ground, his face almost manic. Yukio felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and knew without looking that the flames licking his skin were flaring with his alarm. Before he could react anymore, Mephisto spoke again.

"Then you simply guide them into their new home," his voice rose as he thrust the blade into Rin's chest.

"Rin!" Yukio shouted, stepping towards his brother.

Rin threw his head back in an agonized scream, as he fell to his knees. His flames flared even higher, and Yukio was torn between helping his brother and blowing Mephisto to smithereens. A growl bubbled up from his chest, and he could feel his on control slipping as he took a step towards the demon.

"You bastard," he said drawing his gun, but before he could raise it at Mephisto, Rin grabbed his wrist.

Yukio looked back at his twin, and stared. In his shock, his gun fell from his fingers, and hit the ground with a thud. Rin wasn't bleeding from the sword wound. Instead, the flames were flowing away from wound across his chest. Rin was staring back at Yukio, far more calm than someone with a sword through their chest had any right to be.

"It's okay, Yukio. That bastard was just taking one last chance to mess with us," he grunted out.

Rin kept one hand firmly around Yukio's wrist, and raised the other to grab a hold of the sword. He gave a yank, and the blade came free. As he held it in his hands, Yukio could tell the flames along its edge had died down somewhat. Yukio stared at the blade for a moment, before turning his attention back to the wound on Rin's chest. There was still no blood, but as the flames continued to spread from the wound, Yukio could see there were not the same as the others. These new flames were shot through with gold and white, nearly molten rather than flickering. The flowed across Rin's body faster and faster, quickly covering him. As they flowed around the hand holding his wrist, Yukio gasped at the sensation.

"Yukio," Rin said, shifting the Kurikara in his grasp. "Yukio, do you trust me?"

Yukio locked eyes with his twin, and knew immediately what he was actually asking. He dropped to his knees and reached for the blade with his free hand. His eyes never left Rin's as he guided the blade to his own chest.

"Yes," he replied, and Rin thrust the blade home.

Yukio screamed as every nerve in his body lit on fire at once. He felt the flames within flare higher, and for a moment he fought back, afraid of what would happen. Then he remembered his father's words. Embrace, the power his father had said. So trusting his father as he had his brother, Yukio opened himself up. 

He gasped as the fire burned white hot, but the sensation it brought was not pain. There was heat, but it was the fierce fire of a father's love coupled with a faint backdrop of gentle warmth from a mother. He hardly noticed as the blade was removed until it was gone and it's space was filled with the wild roar of his brother's love. He answered all of these flames with his own, strong and steady.

The fiery power licked through him, sealing itself into every cell of his body. As the power was trying to integrate itself, he sensed something trying to block it. He knew that Rin sensed it as well, and together they turned the new found power towards the blockage, letting instinct guide them. Their powers pounded the blockage, shattering it, and allowing the process to finally complete.

He could feel power settle and slowly the flames died down until there was only the bright spark held in his heart. He knelt there gasping, his brother's hand still locked around his wrist.

"Yukio," Rin said, his voice rough. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he answered, his own voice gravelly as well. "Just give me a minute."

Rin squeezed his wrist and Yukio looked up and frowned at the blur in front of him.

"What?" Rin asked.

Yukio reached up with his free hand and pulled his glasses off. The world sprang into focus, but he was drawn to his brother's face, or rather his eyes. Ever since his awakening, Rin's eyes had held a hint of red, a hint that became much more prominent when he unleashed his flames. Now that red was replaced with the same white and gold that had infused his flames. His pupils were now a white pinprick surrounded by gold and blue. It was much more apparent than the red had been, and gave his eyes an unworldly appearance.

"Your eyes have changed," Rin said, letting him know the traces of red he'd seen in his own eyes had also been replaced.

"Yours as well," Yukio answered.

Rin gave his brother a significant look, then began scanning Yukio's features for any other changes. Yukio returned the favor, noting that besides his eyes, Rin looked pretty much the same. None of the other demonic features had become more or less pronounced.

"The rest is the same," he answered his brother's unspoken question.

"You too," Rin replied.

"Oh no, Little Brothers, you are very much not the same," an unwelcome voice interrupted.

Yukio turned to glare at Mephisto. He reached for his gun while Rin wrapped his hand around the Kurikara. Yukio raised his gun towards the demon, rising to his feet. Beside him, Rin also stood, holding out the sword in front of him, flames spiraling down the blade as he pointed it at his former principal.

"Why are you still here, Mephisto?" Yukio asked.

"Don't you have a school to run?" Rin's question followed so closely that it seemed to be a continuation of the his brother's.

"I do, indeed, Little Brother," he said, a smirk on his face. "So I shall take my leave. You would do well to do the same, for I'm afraid you put on quite the light show."

Yukio shot his brother a concerned look, then glanced around the cemetery. It seemed peaceful, but he could hear startled shouts in the background. In front of them, Mephisto held out his umbrella.

"Now if you'll excuse me," he said. "Eins, zwei, DREI!" 

With the final word, he swung the umbrella and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Rin let out a frustrated grumble, but didn't say anything else as he walked over to retrieve the scabbard of the Kurikara. Yukio replaced his gun in it's holster, tail wrapping itself back around him before he yanked his shirt down to cover both. 

"It's weird not seeing the flames," Rin muttered as he put the sword in it's carrier and swung it onto his back.

"Yeah."

Yukio and Rin both grabbed their bags and moved quickly towards the exit of the cemetery. Just as they were about to exit both stumbled to a halt and gasped. Yukio reached up for his glasses, intent to clean them before he remembered they were no longer on his face. His hand fell back to his side as he stared at what was in front of him.

Sparks of light danced around accompanying the darker shadows of demons he had always seen. People were etched in patterns of light and dark, and somehow Yukio sensed instinctively when the dark was gaining ground. Some people had spears of light springing off of them towards other people, near or distant. Some of those spirals danced off freely while the darkness encroached on others. It was a visual cacophony that disoriented him for a moment, before it settled as his mind began to process the additional information using instincts he never knew he possessed. 

"Are they the connections between people?" Rin asked.

"Yes, but also, I think, I think they're gateways Father spoke of in his letters," Yukio answered, his voice filled with awe.

"Gateways," Rin echoed quietly, still staring. "Yukio, I get the feeling this job is going to be a lot harder than we thought."

"Yeah," Yukio answered. "But we still have to start on it."

"I know. Let's go," Rin replied.

Both brothers left the past side by side, moving forward towards their future.


	5. Chapter 4: Taking Council

### Chapter 4: Taking Council

Yukio and Rin quickly started feeling their way around their new powers, trying to make sense of how they worked. Yukio made his way through all of the materials his father had collected, along with all of his notes, but it was a paltry amount of information. 

Rin also made his way through the reading, although he started with Father's notes and then used them to puzzle out what he could of the text. Yukio was impressed with some of Rin's inferences from the notes, but he was slowly beginning to see that Rin had been exposed to a different side of their father than Yukio had experienced.

Even with both of them working through the information there was not a lot to be gained from the books. Shiro hadn't been able to research too deeply for fear of alerting the Order to the existence of the twins. As they slowly made their way away from Japan, Yukio and Rin tried to find more information, but all of the legitimate supernatural literature seemed to be disappearing. Yukio couldn't figure out where the books were going, since he knew the Order was not actively seeking to expand its library.

Currently they were poking around the back corner of a musty book shop. Rather Yukio was poking around, while Rin alternated between complaining and squashing Coal Tar. Yukio pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"If you want this to go faster, you could help me look through these books, Rin."

"How am I supposed to do that when I don't even know what three quarters of this stuff says. I can make out some of the Latin, and the Japanese is easy, but the rest of it might as well be in gibberish. How many languages do you know to be able to read it?"

Yukio turned towards his brother, set to answer the question, but the words died in his throat.

Arrayed behind Rin were a row of eight young women, standing in a shallow triangular formation. They were blocking the exit to the shop, and hemming the two of them into the corner. Rin saw his look, and turned to see what was behind him. He took a step back from the women to stand beside his brother. Yukio was grateful Rin had the sense to keep his mouth shut. 

"Is there something I can do for you?" Yukio asked, swallowing against his suddenly dry throat.

"You will come with us, demons," one of the women in the center said in English. 

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Rin furrow his brow in confusion.

"What did they say, little brother?" Rin asked in Japanese.

Yukio blinked. He knew his brother spoke English relatively well. He had caught Rin putting off homework to watch Food Network with Ukobach enough times to know he was fairly fluent. He glanced over at Rin, his own brows furrowing. Rin caught his eye, and a brief flick of his eyes towards the girls let him know what was going on. Yukio just hoped they were good enough actors to pull this off. 

"I don't know, big brother. I don't understand what they are saying either. I think they're speaking English though," he replied in Japanese. 

The women were obviously not happy at being ignored.

"You will come with us, demons. By order of the Council," the leader spoke again, still in English.

Yukio choked down the feelings of shock at the name of the Council and spoke to the women again in Japanese.

"I am sorry, ladies," he said with a slight bow. "I am afraid my brother and I do not understand what you are saying."

The leader of the group made an angry noise before one of the other women snapped at her.

"They don't understand you, moron," she said in English.

"Well how the hell are we supposed to take them into headquarters if we can't tell them to come with us?"

The woman made a scoffing sound then stepped forward to grab Rin by the forearm. In a well practiced move she yanked his arm out, spinning him around and pulling the appendage up tight behind him, pinning him against the shelves. Rin gave a squawk of protest, but didn't make a move to stop her.

"Ow, what did you do that for?" he protested, his face a wash of confusion. "That hurts."

Yukio stood there shocked by how his brother let the woman manipulate him. His moment of shock was enough for one of the other women to put him into a similar pin.

"Ouch," he said, even though the hold was only mildly uncomfortable due to his physiology. 

"Shut up!" the woman holding Rin barked, covering Rin's mouth and pinching shut his nose. 

Rin's eyes widened, but he ceased making any more sounds. She blocked his breathing for a several more seconds, before letting go. Rin filled his lungs with a gasp. She glanced meaningfully at Yukio, and he clacked his mouth shut on any protests he would make. He felt the gun at the small of his back being removed from its holster, and heard a rough slide of material as the woman pinning Rin yanked the Kurikara off of his shoulder.

"Three of Eight, get over here," the woman holding Rin barked again.

Another of the girls approached, but Yukio almost didn't notice. He was too busy trying to stifle the snicker that was bubbling up in his throat at the obvious reference. A whiff of copper meant that Rin was probably biting his tongue to keep his own laughter in. Yukio cursed Brother Izumi's love of all things science fiction. 

The familiar click of a safety being removed brought him back to reality. The barrel of a gun dug into the small of his back.

"Fuck around and I shoot," the new girl said, pressing the barrel in harder. 

Yukio swallowed thickly, but he didn't resist when the woman pulled him away from the wall and marched him towards the exit of the shop. Rin was marched along beside him, and as they moved towards the entrance, some of the women moved to gather their bags. The brothers flicked a glance towards each other when they saw another woman push a wad of bills into the hands of the shop keeper before he could voice a protest. 

Once outside, they were blindfolded and tied up. Yukio flinched at the fact the chains were both blessed and silver, and he heard Rin jerk in his captors arms. Then there was the sound of a fist hitting flesh, and Rin gave a pained grunt.

"Brother!" he exclaimed. His reward was a sharp smack in the face.

Rin gave another grunt, this one almost muffled. Yukio was then manhandled until the backs of his legs connected with something. He lost his balance and fell down. He was roughly shoved the rest of the way into the small space, squished up against his brother. Then something was slammed down, plunging them into darkness. 

A few minutes later, an engine came to life. It was only then that they felt it was safe to talk.

"What the hell, Yukio? Who the fuck are these chicks and what do they want with us?"

"I'm pretty sure they were Slayers, Rin."

Rin sucked in a breath.

"Shit."

"You know what a Slayer is?"

"One time after Izumo shot down another pass from Shima, I heard him mutter something about her being a slayer. Bon told him he was an idiot, and I jumped in to ask what a Slayer was. Shima was so glad to get Bon off his case he got him to explain them to me. What makes you think these these chicks are Slayers rather than Exorcists?"

"One of them mentioned the Council, which is the group that oversees and directs slayers."

"They grabbed the Kurikara when they pinned me."

"They got my gun, too."

"So what do we do? I'm not sure I want to try using the flames to get out of here."

"No, if we did that, we'd have the Council after us with as much fervor as the Order."

"So what, we let them try and slay us?"

"No, if they were going to do that, they wouldn't have bothered driving us anywhere. With the amount of hush money they paid that shopkeeper, they could have gotten away with it."

"Yeah, I saw that. Where did they get that kind of money?"

"Apparently the Council is looser with its purse strings than the Order was."

"Which leaves us locked in a trunk being taken to god knows where by a bunch of super powered women, with no idea how to get away from them."

"We'll have to play it by ear, Rin. Your idea of pretending to not understand them was a good one. It gives us an advantage."

Yukio could practically hear his brother puffing up with pride behind him, but he ignored it and went on with his planning.

"We just need to decide on a story which is as close to the truth as possible, and make sure we agree on it. If they question us separately we want to make sure our stories coordinate."

"We should probably just tell the truth, except leave the whole 'sons of Satan' thing out of it. Tell them we don't know what kind of demon, our father was, but our mother was human."

"Well technically it is not know exactly what kind of demon Satan is," Yukio replied.

Rin snorted.

"My point, little brother, is that we tell them exactly what happened, just leaving out anything specific. I started showing my demon heritage, but you didn't at first. We had to leave the place we were raised after Father died. After you started showing your powers, we were forced to flee to avoid being hunted. Oh, and no names."

"Huh?"

"Our names. We can't give our real names. The Order has to be looking for us, and if this Council has heard of us, then it could be bad. So we'll keep up the big brother, little brother routine."

"You just like rubbing in the fact you're older."

"Eh," Yukio felt his brother's shoulder move in a shrug.

"A surname?"

"Well as much as I don't want to be associated with that rat bastard Pope, since it was our mother's name, Egin."

Yukio raised a brow at the depth of his brother's planning.

"That is incredibly well thought out."

"Thank you."

"What manga did you read it in?"

"Oh shut up, spotty four eyes. It's a good plan, admit it."

"I believe I just did. I'm just not sure how someone whose battle strategy is usually whack at something until it is dead, came up with it on the spur of the moment."

It was probably not the best time to be teasing his brother, but the familiarity of it helped to calm his nerves. Despite the fact that Rin's plan was a good one, there was still a strong chance that the Council could slay first and ask questions later. So any chance to keep Rin and himself calm was to be embraced.

"Idiot. If you don't know, then I'm not telling you."

"Hah! So you admit it."

"I admit nothing. Just tell me if we're going to follow my plan or not."

"Well I will admit that your plagiarized plan," Yukio had to raise his voice over Rin's growl, "is a good one. We'll just have to make sure to stick to that story, and not give any hints that we speak English."

"We're gonna have to keep letting them hit us, too," Rin's tone was a bit more sober.

"I know," Yukio was sober as well. "We just have to remember that we'll heal and take it. Hopefully if we keep doing what they ask then we'll just have to deal with a few bruises."

"Yeah, but I still don't like seeing them hit you."

"I don't like seeing you pushed around either. We'll also have to explain how we don't speak English, because it sounds like someone who didn't speak Japanese named us if we are just going by Nii-san and Otouto Egin"

"Maybe...," Rin trailed off a moment to think. "Mum told Dad that I was the oldest and you were the youngest, so they put that on the birth certificate, expecting us to be adopted. By the time it was clear we weren't going to be adopted outside the monastery, the names had stuck."

"I don't like making Father sound like an idiot."

"If it keeps us alive, the Old Fart will understand."

The two faded into silence as the car ride continued. It seemed like hours before the vehicle pulled to a stop, but Yukio knew it wasn't that long. He felt Rin tense beneath him, as he readied himself for the next round of abuse.

Yukio kept silent as the trunk was opened, and bright light leaked around the blindfolds. He was grabbed and pulled out of the trunk, banging his head against the lid. He choked off any noise, knowing he would probably be hit for it. The people dragging him out certainly weren't worried about him being injured. Once outside he was set roughly on his feet, and a slayer stood on each side holding each arm.  
He heard Rin's feet hit the ground, but there was no further movement, so he figured his brother was getting the same treatment. 

One of the slayers reached over and yanked off the blindfold, pulling away a chunk of hair caught in the knot and catching painfully on the tip of one of his ears. Luckily he was so busy blinking against the bright lights that he didn't think to protest.

As he was trying to get his eyes to adjust, he and Rin were forced forward several steps. As his eyes cleared he saw they were being brought before a man. He looked to be in his late twenties or early thirties, although he was dressed much older, in an old fashioned looking pin striped three piece suit. He even had a chain leading to a pocket watch in the vest pocket. The man had sandy blond hair that was overly styled, and was putting so much effort into looking authoritative that it was almost comical. The only thing that kept it from being so was the large group of slayers gathered behind him.

"Demons, you have been brought before the Council to prove your worth in it's eyes," the man began in English. "If you are found to be evil or wanting you will be eliminated. Resistance to these dictates is futile, so will you submit quietly or shall I have my slayers use force?"

Yukio stared at the man with as blank a look as possible.

"Are you afraid to answer," the man continued. "Fear not, for while fierce, the Council can be benevolent to those who aid it as well."

Yukio continued to look at the man blankly. He wondered how long the slayers who brought them here were going to let him continue to question them before admitting they didn't speak English.

"Or perhaps your silence is mocking. Do you think your silence will keep us from finding your secrets. Rest assured, nothing can be hidden from the all seeing eyes of the Council. You would save yourself a world of pain if you simply relented."

"I have no idea what you are saying," Rin said in Japanese, obviously unable to stand it any longer. "But your slayers keep hitting us whenever we say anything, so we're kind of reluctant to speak."

Rin got a cuff to the side of his head for his comment, but it was enough to get the man they were facing to break character.

"Huh?" he said, his face a caricature of confusion. 

"Yeah boss," the slayer on Yukio's left said. "I don't think they speak English. We tried to make 'em come peacefully, but since we couldn't explain, we had to force them to come and come quietly."

"But, I had a whole speech planned," the man's tone was extremely put upon.

"Sorry, Mr Wells."

"So any idea what language they're speaking?" the girl on Yukio's right said.

"Obviously," Mr. Wells was all self importance again. "It is some kind of Asian language. I have to admit that my expertise in those languages is limited. I tend to focus on the European and demon languages. Perhaps one of my colleagues might have an idea."

"Isn't Mr Holly the expert on Asian languages," one of the slayers behind Wells said.

"Yes. Very well, we'll have to bring them inside. Three, Four, Five and Six of Eight, take the demons to one of the holding cells. Eight, go get Mr. Holly."

"We found weapons on them, sir," one of the girls holding Rin, piped up.

"Did they use them on you," Wells asked.

"No," the girl sounded disappointed.

"Then turn them over and we'll analyze them. The rest of you, write your report," he turned to the group behind him. "Slayers, thank you for your assistance. You are released at this time. Please return to your other duties."

As Yukio and Rin were forcefully marched into the building, Yukio caught sight of the Kurikara and his guns being taken through a different door. Then he and his brother were being dragged through a series of hallways and down several flights of stairs. Finally they were thrown into a cell and a heavy metal door was shut behind them. Yukio heard the lock engage, and felt some kind of spell spring to life to encompass the room.

"Otouto," Rin said. "Please tell me we are going to take the chance to laugh hysterically at that man at a later date. Especially at the code names he chose for his slayers."

"When we're not in the middle of the lionesses' den, we're laughing for days, Niisan," Yukio replied. "I might even risk a phone call just to yell at Brother Izumi."

"So now we wait?"

"So now we wait."


End file.
